Honorius of Kent
Encyclopedia
Honorius of Kent was a medieval English Archdeacon of Richmond
and canon lawyer
.
Honorius was given the title of magister, signifying that he had a university education. A native of Kent, he was a student at Paris sometime between 1185 and 1192. By 1192, he was teaching at Oxford, and in that year, he pled a case before the papal legate
s John of Cornwall and Robert of Melun at Oxford. Honorius, along with John of Tynemouth and Simon of Southwell
, and perhaps Nicholas de Aquila
, are the first known teachers of canon law at Oxford.
Honorius was a clerk for Geoffrey, the Archbishop of York
, serving Geoffrey from 1195, and held an unidentified prebend in the diocese of York
. In 1198, Honorius was appointed Archdeacon of Richmond by Geoffrey, but King Richard I of England
appointed Roger de Sancto Edmundo instead. Honorius was then expelled from office, but appealed to the papacy, and eventually secured recognition of his tenure of office in 1202. While still involved in proving his case for holding the archdeaconry, he left Geoffrey's service and by 1202 at the latest was serving Hubert Walter
, the Archbishop of Canterbury
, who gave him two benefices. While in Walter's service, he was often associated with John of Tynemouth and Simon of Southwell. Honorius accompanied John in 1203 when both men attempted to mediate between Walter and Gerald of Wales. He was also employed by Walter at Rome, where he served as the archbishop's proctor at the Curia
in a case involving the abbot of Thorney Abbey
.
After Walter's death in 1205, Honorius was employed by King John
as one of the king's proctors at Rome during the controversy over the election to succeed Walter at Canterbury. Later, though, in 1208, Honorius opposed the king and was again deprived of office, with his last mention in official records being in the Pipe Roll for 1208–1209. He died sometime after 1210.
As a canonist, he was the author of a treatise entitled Summa decretalium quaestionum, which exists in six or seven manuscripts. The Summa was written between 1186 and 1190. He also did glosses on Gratian
's Decretum
. He is also credited with another work, De iure canonico tractaturus, but this attribution is not secure. This last work survives in only one manuscript copy. The medieval chronicler Thomas of Marlborough called Honorius one of his teachers, along with Simon and John.
Archdeacon of Richmond
The Archdeacon of Richmond is an archdiaconal post in the Church of England. It is under the jurisdiction of the Diocese of Chester.-History:It was created around the year 1088, and was endowed by Thomas, Archbishop of York. It had the valuable impropriations of Easingwold, Bolton, Clapham, and...
and canon lawyer
Canon law
Canon law is the body of laws & regulations made or adopted by ecclesiastical authority, for the government of the Christian organization and its members. It is the internal ecclesiastical law governing the Catholic Church , the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox churches, and the Anglican Communion of...
.
Honorius was given the title of magister, signifying that he had a university education. A native of Kent, he was a student at Paris sometime between 1185 and 1192. By 1192, he was teaching at Oxford, and in that year, he pled a case before the papal legate
Papal legate
A papal legate – from the Latin, authentic Roman title Legatus – is a personal representative of the pope to foreign nations, or to some part of the Catholic Church. He is empowered on matters of Catholic Faith and for the settlement of ecclesiastical matters....
s John of Cornwall and Robert of Melun at Oxford. Honorius, along with John of Tynemouth and Simon of Southwell
Simon of Southwell
Simon of Southwell was a medieval English canon lawyer and canon who became treasurer of the cathedral chapter of Lichfield Cathedral....
, and perhaps Nicholas de Aquila
Nicholas de Aquila
Nicholas de Aquila was a medieval Bishop of Chichester-elect.-Life:...
, are the first known teachers of canon law at Oxford.
Honorius was a clerk for Geoffrey, the Archbishop of York
Archbishop of York
The Archbishop of York is a high-ranking cleric in the Church of England, second only to the Archbishop of Canterbury. He is the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of York and metropolitan of the Province of York, which covers the northern portion of England as well as the Isle of Man...
, serving Geoffrey from 1195, and held an unidentified prebend in the diocese of York
Diocese of York
The Diocese of York is an administrative division of the Church of England, part of the Province of York. It covers the city of York, the eastern part of North Yorkshire, and most of the East Riding of Yorkshire....
. In 1198, Honorius was appointed Archdeacon of Richmond by Geoffrey, but King Richard I of England
Richard I of England
Richard I was King of England from 6 July 1189 until his death. He also ruled as Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Lord of Cyprus, Count of Anjou, Count of Maine, Count of Nantes, and Overlord of Brittany at various times during the same period...
appointed Roger de Sancto Edmundo instead. Honorius was then expelled from office, but appealed to the papacy, and eventually secured recognition of his tenure of office in 1202. While still involved in proving his case for holding the archdeaconry, he left Geoffrey's service and by 1202 at the latest was serving Hubert Walter
Hubert Walter
Hubert Walter was an influential royal adviser in the late twelfth and early thirteenth centuries in the positions of Chief Justiciar of England, Archbishop of Canterbury, and Lord Chancellor. As chancellor, Walter began the keeping of the Charter Roll, a record of all charters issued by the...
, the Archbishop of Canterbury
Archbishop of Canterbury
The Archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion, and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. In his role as head of the Anglican Communion, the archbishop leads the third largest group...
, who gave him two benefices. While in Walter's service, he was often associated with John of Tynemouth and Simon of Southwell. Honorius accompanied John in 1203 when both men attempted to mediate between Walter and Gerald of Wales. He was also employed by Walter at Rome, where he served as the archbishop's proctor at the Curia
Curia
A curia in early Roman times was a subdivision of the people, i.e. more or less a tribe, and with a metonymy it came to mean also the meeting place where the tribe discussed its affairs...
in a case involving the abbot of Thorney Abbey
Thorney Abbey
Thorney Abbey was on the island of Thorney in The Fens of Cambridgeshire, England.- History :The earliest documentary sources refer to a mid-7th century hermitage destroyed by a Viking incursion in the late 9th century. A Benedictine monastery was founded in the 970s, and a huge rebuilding...
.
After Walter's death in 1205, Honorius was employed by King John
John of England
John , also known as John Lackland , was King of England from 6 April 1199 until his death...
as one of the king's proctors at Rome during the controversy over the election to succeed Walter at Canterbury. Later, though, in 1208, Honorius opposed the king and was again deprived of office, with his last mention in official records being in the Pipe Roll for 1208–1209. He died sometime after 1210.
As a canonist, he was the author of a treatise entitled Summa decretalium quaestionum, which exists in six or seven manuscripts. The Summa was written between 1186 and 1190. He also did glosses on Gratian
Gratian
Gratian was Roman Emperor from 375 to 383.The eldest son of Valentinian I, during his youth Gratian accompanied his father on several campaigns along the Rhine and Danube frontiers. Upon the death of Valentinian in 375, Gratian's brother Valentinian II was declared emperor by his father's soldiers...
's Decretum
Decretum
Decretum may refer to:*The Decretum Gratiani is a collection of Canon law compiled in the twelfth century by a jurist named Gratian.*Decretum Gelasianum, traditionally attributed to Pope Gelasius I, contains a list of works adjudged apocryphal....
. He is also credited with another work, De iure canonico tractaturus, but this attribution is not secure. This last work survives in only one manuscript copy. The medieval chronicler Thomas of Marlborough called Honorius one of his teachers, along with Simon and John.